Random Encounter Flag
by FrozenDeluxe
Summary: On a quiet autumn afternoon, Lune finds herself alone in a bakery with nothing to do. [This is a three-part birthday fic written for Lune's birthday (November 7).
1. Part I: Macaroon Lune

**Ah, back to that time of year again.**

 **Happy November, everyone! If you are new to the TWGOK fandom, welcome!**

 **With life getting busier by the day, finding time to work on stories like these has been quite the struggle. Don't worry though, I intend to finish this on schedule for once. Anything else on my story queue is off the table.**

 **November 7th is Lune's birthday. Every so often I'll post single one-shots for TWGOK birthdays, but this year's Lune story is an exception. I've broken her segment into three chapters so I can have my fun.**

 **And so begins my typical author's opening:**

 **I apologize ahead of time for any mistakes, plot holes, or other imperfections you may find. I am only human and thus limited to the imperfection that is me.**

 **This story is completely separate from any other stories I've written, past and present. It'll take place a few months after the end of TWGOK Season III (Megami-hen). That being said, there will likely be paradoxes or other details purposely left vague, and those will remain untouched unless I wind up using them later.**

 **All of that aside, I present to you a quick piece I wrote up over the free time I had.**

 **Happy Birthday, Lune!**

 **-FrozenDeluxe *.***

* * *

 _"Always give a word or sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, or even a stranger, if in a lonely place."_

 _-Tecumseh, Native American leader_

* * *

Wednesday, November 7.

Summer had gone through its cycle, ending classes momentarily before soon presenting new ones. Now, autumn held its brisk winds over Maijima City, showering the sleepy city in blankets of red and orange leaves.

As the afternoon sun lit the quiet bakery, Lune gazed out the window and watched the people outside as they milled about their business.

So mundane, so repetitive. Kill off a few thousand humans and another crowd comes to replace them. Where was the excitement in all that? Everyone was as predictable as the lines painted on the streets beside them.

Lune sighed as she took a sip from a cup of coffee in front of her. Today hadn't really been any different from any other day. There wasn't anything wrong about that, but she did wish for some variety every now and then, especially after the fun that had gone down a few months ago.

Vintage's plan to gather the goddess hosts and kill them was a close one. They had pinpointed six hosts out of a whole crowd of schoolgirls and successfully captured five of those six, all thanks to the fruitful efforts of some raiment hacking and a foolish group of imbeciles working against them.

If not for New Hell's quick response and the meddling of a few humans, they would've actually succeeded, too.

All of that hope was gone now. Vintage had issued orders to lay low and cease major operations until Dokuro Skull's investigations died down. A large organization with shadows stretching across every corner of New Hell had shattered overnight, and Lune had essentially been left to fend for herself for the past few months.

Without an official buddy, Lune technically had no business on Earth, but paperwork had somehow surfaced detailing Lune as an independent overseer of other collector demons in the area. Lune had the freedom to wander this realm with little restraint, in theory.

Yet here she was, alone in a bakery, with only coffee and a French pastry keeping her company at the table.

It was _lonely._

Wait, seriously? Lune was in disbelief herself. She processed that thought through her head again.

Lune was _lonely._

She frowned at that revelation. When was the last time over the last few centuries that Lune had been able to relax like this? Why was it now that she felt this way after hundreds of years of working alone?

"Tch."

* * *

As they walked back home after another long day of school, Elsie hummed another Kanon song while Keima mercilessly conquered another virtual girl. It had only been a few minutes before Elsie could hear the high-pitched voice of another heroine declaring her undying love to Keima, just like the countless others before her and those still to come.

Keima continued his dating sim, but Elsie noticed his demeanor grow steadily darker. She looked at her Divine Brother with concern when he started muttering angrily under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Elsie looked over at Keima's console screen after a time.

Keima bitterly cursed as he sighed with frustration and pocketed his PFP. "Random-encounter events," he muttered as his paces stiffened.

When he noticed Elsie eying him with confusion, he scoffed and went into more detail.

"A random-encounter flag, as its name suggests, happens randomly, by chance," Keima explained. "Some events occur commonly, with a high encounter rate, while other flags are rare enough to become nothing more than myths, events that only a few lucky people will ever get to see."

Keima gritted his teeth as he fumed on, "but how am I supposed to conquer this heroine if she only appears with a one in two million encounter rate?"

Elsie could only watch as Keima struggled to keep a level expression.

They came to a stop at an intersection.

"You're going to Kanon's concert tonight?" Keima asked as he spotted a billboard advertising her newest album.

Elsie grinned excitedly as she fidgeted in place. "Yup! Kanon even gave me a few VIP passes!"

Keima sighed and took his PFP back out. "Don't get lost, bug demon," he called back as he crossed the street. He gave a small wave of his hand, then started back towards his house.

Elsie watched her Divine Brother disappear in the crowd of afternoon city-goers, waving as she saw him join the flow of people going home.

After a while she turned and started wandering to pass time until the concert hall's doors opened. Of course, she could go there early, but VIP passes let her cut the long lines, and there was no fun in waiting alone.

The other members of the 2-B Pencils had their own plans today, and Keima had his own reasons for avoiding a goddess host. Elsie had the day to herself, and she spent it walking the streets alone.

Elsie had barely turned the corner when she caught a whiff of something baking and smiled as she imagined what it could be. She looked around and spotted a bakery with baskets full of macaroons sitting on racks.

"Mmmmm," Elsie's eyes glowed as she mentally devoured the tiny pastries one-by-one, "I'll buy some of those!" With a burst of newfound energy, she rushed into the bakery to buy a basket.

* * *

The bakery had barely changed since Lune first came in. Customers had come and gone, but the atmosphere and conversations had generally stayed the same.

"I'm telling you, the girl at the ramen store was cuter than your bakery waifu!" a uniformed student retorted as he and his friends gathered in a circle debating on the cutest restaurant servers.

Older patrons in more professional attire kept to themselves, scrolling down their phones or flipping through packets of paper.

There were the curious passerby, those who came for the smells and stayed for the pastries themselves.

Lune caught one such schoolgirl staring at her curiously as she waited in line.

Probably wondering why she wore a lab coat in a place like this, Lune dismissed.

She took another sip of her extra-sweetened coffee before receding back into her thoughts.

But before Lune could notice and raise any objections, the schoolgirl from earlier had somehow managed to slide into the bench seat across from her and place down a fresh basket of macaroons.

"Hi!" the stranger greeted her, "I don't think I've seen you around before!"

Lune stared silently at the girl in front of her, who hummed a song as she happily bit into a pink macaroon. It was one thing to be alone, but another to be in the company of an ignorant person like this.

This girl's school uniform matched those of the others Lune had seen meandering the streets. That would probably explain the cheeriness that seemed to emanate from her very being.

"I don't see many demons around in this area," the girl continued casually, "I guess there aren't as many loose souls here as there used to be."

Lune's ears perked up at that. This girl was a demon? Who was this, exactly, and threat might she pose? Instinctively, she reached a hand into her coat pocket and gripped the handle of her reliable boxcutter.

And still, the demon girl continued to ramble on, oblivious to Lune's staring. "My name's Elucia de Lute Ima," she introduced herself, "but everyone calls me Elsie!" She held out a hand.

"I'm...Lune," Lune introduced herself curtly and gave a quick handshake. Her eyes tracked Elsie's every movement, waiting for a signal to attack.

Just how much did this demon know?

Under Lune's watchful gaze, Elsie cheerily bit into another macaroon. It was almost as if she didn't notice Lune tensing up with each passing moment.

"Mmmm..." she smiled as she reached out for another macaroon, "These are good! I wish we had these in Hell!"

Really, did this demon have any sense in her? Who in their right mind would even bring these subjects up with a random stranger?

Why did Elsie even bother to approach Lune? To her dismay, Lune couldn't read Elsie. Maybe there wasn't anything there to even look at, but the possibility still existed that she was just skilled at hiding her intentions.

Meanwhile, Elsie had materialized her raiment and used its search function to find macaroon recipes. She seemed deep in thought as she scrolled through pages of directions and measurements. Lune could even hear her quietly hum the tune of a Kanon song.

It was a perfect opportunity to finish her off, actually. One perfectly aimed stab and Elsie would never see what was coming, but it was best to not create any unnecessary casualties, especially with Vintage already in recess. Maybe she'd be able to get something out of her that would prove useful.

At the very least, this encounter wasn't boring.

"So," Elsie put her raiment away and reached for a (fifth) macaroon, "What brings you here?"

Nothing, really. Lune had been assigned to this area as a supervisor, but the decrease in loose souls meant lots of free time. Lately she had been roaming around looking for something to do.

"Oh..." Elsie's eyes shone with admiration as she heard Lune explain this.

Such a childish thing to do, Lune thought, to accept everything she had said without and doubts or questions. Given, all she had said so far _was_ true…

But that would mean she just opened herself up to a total stranger, wouldn't it?

Tch.

Lune had unconsciously let go of her boxcutter too. This innocent demon had even managed to get her guard down, too. What was this?

Elsie plucked another macaroon from the basket and stared blankly at Lune as she munched on it. She seemed to be pondering something.

"You said you weren't doing anything today?" she asked Lune after a moment.

No, nothing today, but if Lune had to be honest even _talking_ to someone else already made today a more interesting development than the weeks prior.

Elsie's face brightened as an idea came to her. "I know something we can do!" she proclaimed clearly to the entire floor of people. Realizing how loud she was, she shrank back to a corner and waved sheepishly back at the curious stares she got.

Finishing off the last macaroon, Elsie suddenly stood up and took hold of Lune's wrist.

That alone was enough to set Lune on edge, her free hand immediately racing to find the boxcutter in her coat pocket, but Elsie paid no mind to any of that.

"Come on," Elsie invited her new companion, "Let's go sightseeing!"

Lune could only follow as Elsie dragged her with the might of the train she was headed for.

* * *

-End Chapter 1

 ** _Expect an update within days of this posting (11/3/18)_**

* * *

9/3/18 - Initiation

9/6/18 - End chapter

11/3/18 - Final checks, publication


	2. Part II: Scenic Route

**Welcome back for another update! We are now 2/3 of the way through this story, and I can tell you that this was certainly a pleasure to write out and imagine. Thanks for sticking around, and hopefully you'll enjoy this and the next installment.**

 **I'm anticipating the final update to come out two days from now, 11/7. We'll see how that plays out.**

 **-FrozenDeluxe *.***

* * *

 _"Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better."_

 _-Henry Rollins, American musician_

* * *

How did things come to this?

Lune sighed as she stared out the train car's window. She sat cross-legged on a bench, Elsie sitting across from her.

It had been...maybe five minutes now since they left the station. Elsie had eagerly dragged her onto the platform, tugged her into the train, and had started to fill Lune in on everything that had happened since she first came to the human world.

"Oh, but Nii-sama's the greatest buddy I've ever had!" Elsie continued to ramble on, "We go around the high school capturing runaway spirits with the power of love!"

From what Lune had pieced together, Elsie and her buddy, a high school student with an obsession with dating sim games, maneuvered their human targets to fall in love with said buddy. It made sense logically, and certainly explained why Elsie was one of the most productive demons out of the whole Loose Soul Team.

"Ah!" Elsie suddenly cried out as the train slowed, "This is our stop!" She fidgeted excitedly as the car pulled into the station, standing as the doors slid open.

Together they walked onto the platform and out to the streets.

Elsie looked around at their surroundings and the intersections ahead. She narrowed her eyes as she stopped and thought for a moment.

"What turn was I supposed to take again..?" she asked herself as she took another glance at the buildings nearby.

Here was another chance to leave, Lune noticed, but again she decided against it. She didn't have anything else to do today, and there was still the chance that Elsie had some useful information that could slip out.

"Ah! I remember now!" Elsie announced. Other people passing by glanced interestedly as Elsie took a triumphant pose, pointing to the sky and smiling victoriously. Lune was reminded of the idols plastered on billboards as she stared at the eccentric demon in front of her.

Elsie leaped a bit and motioned for Lune to follow her. "Come on!," she called back from ahead, "It'll be fun!"

Lune followed at a pace as Elsie skipped along the sidewalk humming.

"Ahh, I haven't been in this area since Nii-sama went hunting for the goddesses," Elsie recounted, "That was scary…"

She turned and saw Lune eying her intently with a neutral expression.

"Oh, I never told you about that conquest, did I?" Elsie asked absentmindedly.

Lune nodded. "Do tell me about it," she prompted.

Elsie seemed excited at having someone interested. "Well…" she explained bashfully, "I didn't really do anything. I just stood in for Kanon while she was injured…"

Kanon, the idol Lune had targeted and tracked for nights on end, the goddess host she was able to corner and stab with a poisoned dagger. Just how close was Elsie to the Vintage plot to kill the goddesses?

"But Nii-sama and Haqua, they found all the other goddesses in just a week!" Elsie went on, "Even after Vintage showed up…"

Lune saw Elsie shiver at that last thought.

"Ooh, those Vintage demons are scary…" Elsie murmured in a low voice, "I'm scared to imagine what could've happened if Nii-sama failed…"

But Elsie didn't worry for long. Just as suddenly as her mood darkened, she quickly reverted back to her familiar cheerful self. "But they're gone now. Chief Dokuro-sama said so!" Elsie reassured Lune.

Lune held back a smirk as she watched Elsie worry about Vintage. With the condition Vintage was in now, Elsie wouldn't have to worry about any raids soon, and she'd be well off any of the other members' radars.

That is, if the high-ranking Vintage officer standing next to her didn't count.

Elsie turned into an alley and walked down until she reached another road. She came to a stop at the end and stared in awe at the building across the street. "We're here!" she announced happily.

Lune came to a stop behind her as she watched her guide quiver with excitement. She followed Elsie's line of sight and stared at a set of garage doors.

Elsie had dragged Lune to a fire station.

…

Wait, _that_ was Elsie's idea of sightseeing?

Giggling, Elsie activated her raiment and made herself invisible to humans. Without a moment's hesitation, she dashed towards the shiny fire trucks parked inside the station and climbed into a truck's cab.

Lune wasn't sure how to react. On one hand, she was somewhat disappointed that this was all Elsie had to offer... but with someone like Elsie, what could Lune have expected in the first place? At the same time, however, there was something fascinating about watching Elsie run around the empty fire station. She observed as Elsie flocked to a tanker truck and beckoned to her.

"Lune-sama! Come look at this truck here! It's red!" Elsie called her over with the enthusiasm of a child.

Sure, why not.

Lune cloaked herself with her raiment and quietly walked to where Elsie eagerly waited.

"This truck holds lots of water," Elsie quickly explained, then quickly climbed on top of another truck's mounted ladder rig, "and this is how firefighters reach tall buildings!"

A bell suddenly rang, giving Elsie another burst of energy.

"Ooh!" Elsie's eyes lit as firefighters slid down from poles and quickly grabbed their equipment, "That's the fire bell! There must be a fire somewhere!"

Lune stepped out of the way as the firemen rushed around the station getting their things in order.

The trucks' doors slammed as the firefighters jumped in, ready to head off to wherever they were called. The firetrucks' engines roared to life, their sirens soon echoing around the station.

"Wow!" Elsie commented from her perch, "They really do get ready quickly! I wonder how they-"

But before she could finish her sentence, the trucks surged forward, one at a time, and rushed down the street. Lune heard Elsie shriek as she tried getting out of the ladder's platform.

"Eeeeeeeeeeek!" Elsie screamed as she frantically activated her raiment's flight ability and jumped off the speeding fire engine.

* * *

Elsie gasped for breath as she slumped against the park bench. "I'm sorry… about... that," she apologized to Lune. She sighed as she dusted off her clothes and looked up at the sky.

Lune nodded wordlessly as she too reclined on the bench.

"That was scary…" Elsie murmured, shivering, "I thought I was a goner for a bit…"

Maybe it was for her, Lune thought, but that was fun to watch regardless. Lune could barely keep a laugh down when she finally caught up to Elsie after she jumped off the fire engine.

The two rested for a bit and watched the yellowish leaves fall to the ground. Elsie seemed deep in thought as she tried deciding what to do with the remainder of the free time she had.

"Hmm," Elsie pondered aloud, "Where else can we go before the concert..?"

Concert? What concert?

Elsie's seemed shocked that Lune was unaware of Kanon's concert that night.

"Kanon's autumn concert? She'll be singing in a stadium in the middle of the city. I think it was to promote her new album..?"

Shaking off her confusion, Elsie looked at Lune again. "Wanna come with me? Kanon gave me some VIP passes for my friends, but they were all busy today."

This should be interesting.

Lune held back a chuckle at the irony, and accepted Elsie's invitation with a nod. "Sure, I'll come with you," she replied.

Elsie's smile brightened while she came up with another idea. "Hey, hey," Elsie prodded Lune's attention, "There's a new bubble tea cafe that opened up near Kanon's concert. Let's go try it out!"

The day was Elsie's to lead. Lune was willing to follow her anywhere at this point.

And so, standing up, the demon pair walked off towards the heart of Maijima City.

* * *

"Mmm…" Elsie smiled as she took another sip of bubble tea, "This tea is really good…"

She flipped through a brochure of the menu and read through the other options. "They even offer unsweetened flavors. Nii-sama might like this place too… maybe I should tell Chihiro about this place?"

Lune sat across from Elsie, a large glass of green tea with extra bubbles and double sugar in hand, and listened to her companion's disjointed thoughts. She had always had a thing for sweet drinks, but this tea really was something enjoyable. Lune would probably thank Elsie properly later for finding such a treasure of a cafe.

The tea parlor itself was small, but comfy. Lune liked the urban feel that the room gave off with its wood-plated walls and ceiling. The lighting was soft enough to give the air a soothing aura, something the plush couches and stools played along with. Truly, this was a hidden gem in such a large city like Maijima.

"I had fun today," Elsie's random comment broke through Lune's thoughts, "We should do this again sometime!"

Lune nodded silently in agreement. Today was interesting, and she really wouldn't mind going out like this.

A short while later and both cups were thoroughly drained of their contents.

Elsie glanced at the wall clock and stared at it for a bit as she mentally calculated her schedule. "Maybe we should start heading to the stadium," she suggested. Seeing Lune give an affirmative nod, Elsie stood up and walked to return both of their glass cups to the counter.

A bell chimed while Elsie opened the door and held it open. Together, they walked out into the chilly city and started down towards their next destination.

* * *

-End Chapter II

 ** _Expect an update within days of this posting (11/5/18)_**

* * *

Log:

9/9: Start of second chapter

10/22, 10/23, 11/2: Writing days

[11/3: Published first chapter]

11/5/18: Anticipated publish date of second chapter, chapter completed, final pre-publication checks


	3. Part III: Audience with a Star

**Hello, all. My sincere apologies for falling behind schedule by, oh, about a _year_. University coursework caught up to me and sucked up what little free time I had remaining,**

 **It's that time of year again! It took a year of sporadic editing, but this story is finally at its end. It was a pleasure to work with this storyline, for sure. I have no regrets here, aside from the minor detail of a year-long wait for the end... uwu**

 **Thank you for following this through to the end, and hopefully I'll be back for another Lune story in due time!**

 **Happy birthday, Lune!**

* * *

 _"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."_

 _-Helen Keller_

* * *

"Going at it again with another concert, are you?" Apollo sighed as she watched Kanon through the mirror. She watched with interest as Kanon tied her signature ribbon around her hair.

Kanon smiled. "I'm still an idol, you know. Events like this are what people like me do for a living," she said teasingly.

Apollo pouted playfully, "Man, if only that Katsuragi guy had fallen head over heels for you. Maybe you'd have much less work to do then."

An embarrassed laugh from Kanon, and Apollo was again on the offensive.

"So," Apollo prodded her host a little more, "When are you going to make your next move? I highly doubt that my sisters are willing to let their target go without a fight, and aggressive actions bring aggressive results."

"We'll see," Kanon shook her head slowly, "I think things will play themselves out with enough time."

"Kanon?" the idol's manager knocked outside, "Are you almost ready? The doors are opening soon."

"I'm coming, Okada-san!" Kanon replied as she put the finishing touches on her outfit.

"Good luck out there!" Apollo cheered as Kanon left the dressing room.

* * *

A single person takes up very little space, an insignificant amount given a large open area. But, with a large enough crowd, even the largest of venues can feel cramped with people.

Lune noted this as she and Elsie stared at the line stretching around the stadium's main plaza, winding around several dividers before overflowing into the sidewalks. She looked at Elsie, watched as she bounced happily in anticipation, and went back to observing the snaking line of fans eagerly awaiting their idol.

"Look!" Elsie pointed at a group of older men huddled together, a single convoluted mass of pink ribbons and unbridled enthusiasm.

"Elsie-chan!" one of the old men turned and greeted her, "Good evening!" He gave a friendly smile. "You came just in time! Any longer and there wouldn't be any room left out here!"

Elsie giggled. "Yeah! I'm excited to hear Kanon sing again! It's been a while!" She turned towards Lune and gestured, "I brought along a friend so we could watch her together!"

And at once, Lune found herself facing a wall of starry eyed fans introducing themselves. Their leader, an old man with star-shaped stickers on both of his cheeks, analyzed Lune like a sculptor giving a marble block a once-over. He clapped his hands together and turned to Elsie.

"I think we can make a Kanon fan out of her yet," he concluded with a wink.

In one massive rush, the crowd of people suddenly jostled towards the entrance as the front doors opened. Elsie's circle of fan club members gave one last friendly greeting before rushing to join the others at the gates.

Lune took a step towards the entrance, but Elsie took hold of her shoulder and held her back.

"Don't worry, about waiting in line," Elsie said cheerily, "We have VIP passes, so we can walk around the regular lines!" She hummed the tune of another Kanon song as she tugged Lune along towards the VIP gate.

Lune had her guard down around Elsie.

It was something that Lune noticed earlier, but it came to her attention again as Elsie guided Lune through various line and hallways.

Was it because she didn't see Elsie as a threat? Or because there was no threat to even be concerned about? Maybe it was because she was actually enjoying herself for once, and doing something like her normal hunter's threat assessment would ruin that streak?

It probably wasn't the last possibility, Lune thought, but to her frustration that one ground itself into her conscience the most.

"Tch."

* * *

"Woah!" Elsie's eyes sparkled as she looked around the seats, "Kanon saved us some really nice spots!" She held a hand over her eyes to block out the spotlights as she searched the surrounding seats for familiar faces.

Lune, meanwhile, sat patiently and turned a foam light stick around in her hands. She tried thinking of the last time she ever went to a concert, and frowned when she couldn't remember any instance where she wound up at one.

If this was a concert, it would certainly be a big one, too. Lune had heard from Elsie that the venue they were in was a large-scale sporting complex, but she couldn't remember what competitions were held here. The high arches of a domed ceiling loomed overhead, making no effort to hide its height as it amplified the echoes of the enthusiastic audience underneath.

There came a collective "Ooooh…" as the glaring lights gradually died down to leave the stage illuminated, a beacon of light encircled by the glimmers of fans' foam sticks. Lune watched with admiration as more lights joined to form an ocean of light that waved with the consistency of a calm ocean.

"This is it!" Elsie fidgeted in her seat as she scrambled to find her own light, "Kanon's coming!"

* * *

The cheers started quietly at first, but soon grew louder as people bellowed for their idol, their lights waving along with the cadence of their chants. "Kanon! Kanon!"

Kanon and Okada stood behind the stage, listening as the crowd's cheers continued to grow louder.

"Are you ready?" Okada asked Kanon through all the shouting.

Kanon took one last glance over the crowd. Through the corner of her eye she thought she saw Elsie somewhere in the first two rows. It was a comforting feeling, knowing that there were friends out there supporting her, and it was all Kanon needed to find the last bit of her confidence.

With her characteristic smile, Kanon flashed a quick thumbs up. The audience will get the performance they were promised.

* * *

Elsie squealed as a large screen over the stage lit up, rippling like water as a few lone piano notes echoed from the speakers. The crowd, booming with enthusiasm, fell silent as the music came to a hold.

And, with only a moment of pause, an explosion of light as the overhead spotlights went on. The background music, a simple piano melody at first, transitioned to a quick, upbeat tune as Kanon stepped onto the stage.

"Good evening, everyone!" Kanon waved as she greeted her audience, "Thank you all for coming tonight!" She grinned as the crowd raised another cheer in response.

Moments later, the stage brightened when the spotlights focused on Kanon. "Are you ready?" Kanon asked, cupping a hand to her ear.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Elsie cried from her seat with the others around her. She turned and looked at Lune, who, in turn, was watching her amusedly as she went wild.

"Aw, that won't do, Lune-chan," Elsie teased as she spotted Lune's light baton resting idly in her hand, "You have to wave your stick to the music like the others!"

Kanon, meanwhile, took to the center of the stage as the opening few bars of her first song started blasting from the massive speakers around her.

Elsie gasped with amazement. "She's doing Love Kanon as her first song!" she fangirled while dancing in place.

Lune felt Elsie clutch her wrist and raise her arm into the air. She heard Elsie laugh beside her as she waved Lune's arm and her own, matching the quick tempo of Kanon's singing.

On stage, Kanon danced along to the music, clapping occasionally with few pauses for breath. Behind her, the screen flashed along, bursts of stars and rainbows adorning the display.

It was a spectacle for Lune to behold. Here was a mere human who held the will of a body a thousand times larger than herself with only her personality. Without the fear that Old Hell commanders used to instill in their soldiers, Kanon had managed to keep an audience engaged.

If Lune had to put this into a word, it was… captivating.

Music wasn't really an interest of hers, but something else kept her eyes glued on the idol she had once tracked for months. Lune couldn't figure out why.

With a seemingly endless stream of energy, Kanon continued on to sing a third, fourth song, and the spectators, with their equally infinite enthusiasm, kept the hall alive with cheers and applause.

Lune didn't know how long she stood there, Elsie flailing happily beside her, until the crowd gradually quieted and the lights centered and dimmed. She quietly checked the time with her raiment, and frowned when she saw how late it had gotten.

"Aww," Elsie sighed, "It's time for Kanon's last song." She raised a light baton into the air.

"Kanon! We believe in you!" Lune heard Elsie cheer her favorite idol on.

* * *

Kanon took a moment to catch her breath and look over the crowd. She smiled with satisfaction at the cheers of her fans, and waved to several people she spotted.

She noticed Elsie standing with another person in one of the closer aisles, seats that she had reserved for any friends who might show up.

Elsie met her gaze and gave a friendly grin, her energy palpable even across the stage. Kanon gave a small wave and winked in response.

Her eyes then trailed to Elsie's guest, immediately visible for her vibrant green hair. With a straight, neutral expression, she too was looking towards the stage.

Kanon felt a chill then. Was it because she had seen her somewhere else before? Or perhaps it was just her unusual appearance that made her stand out?

"I'll have to ask Apollo later," she decided, then walked back into the ring of light in the middle of the stage.

* * *

"All good things must end at some point…" Kanon spoke, her voice magnified by the speakers around her, "and it is almost time for this concert to end as well..."

A murmur rippled through the crowd as fans lamented this reality.

"Take this moment now, as this night comes to an end, to treasure what today has brought to you," Kanon put a hand over her heart.

Elsie gasped as she heard the first few bars of a song fade in from the speakers.

"That's Love Call!" she explained to Lune, "The last time she ended a concert with this song was when… Nii-sama exorcised her loose soul…" Her voice trailed off as she thought back to Kanon's conquest.

Around them, fans slowly waved their batons to the slower tempo, leaving Elsie and Lune to follow suit.

Lune and Elsie stood there for a while, swaying against each other as the song continued.

It felt nice, Lune thought, to not have to worry about anything for once. It was a pity that this would end sometime. If not tonight, then some other night, or whenever Vintage goes back to issuing orders again.

...like that was anything to really worry about in the near future.

"This is my love call…" Kanon smiled and looked up and reached out a hand, "To you…"

She sighed as the song spooled down, gave a bow as a few people started clapping, then pointed off to the center of the audience.

"Thank you for coming, everyone! Have a good night!" Kanon gave another grateful bow, then proceeded to point a finger gun into the audience.

"Bang!"

The crowd went wild at Kanon's signature send-off.

* * *

"Nicely done, Kanon!" Apollo applauded from the other side of the dressing room mirror, "I couldn't have done that any better myself… or maybe I could… or maybe.." The goddess trailed off as she thought about all the ways she could pull off a signature Kanon performance.

The two of them were alone in the dressing room. Kanon's manager had given her a few minutes to rest before she had to leave for another event. If Kanon recalled correctly, that was a late-night show appearance to discuss an upcoming album and the concert that had just taken place?

Apollo noticed Kanon staring off. "What's wrong?" she asked, "Is something on your mind?"

Kanon thought for a moment. "I knew most of my classmates weren't able to make it to the concert, but Elsie brought someone who I might've seen before," she answered, "but I can't quite remember where I've seen her before..."

This was met by a concerned glance from Apollo. "Oh?" she prompted with interest, "What did Elsie's friend look like?"

As Kanon described Lune's appearance, Apollo gradually lost her usual upbeat composure, turning pale as Kanon continued listing off the features of the demon who had ambushed her on that one fateful day. "You can't be serious…" Apollo realized with horror, "the friend that Elsie brought was-"

And just then, someone knocked on the dressing room's door. Apollo squealed nervously and went back into hiding. Kanon swiveled around anxiously to meet whoever had knocked. "Come in!" she veiled the surprise in her voice as she invited her guest in.

"Kanon~!" Elsie burst through the door and caught the bewildered idol in a flying hug. "You sang so well tonight! Thanks for saving me a good seat! I really liked when you…" and on she continued as she recounted Kanon's songs in order.

Kanon sighed in relief and laughed. She patted the shoulder of her biggest fan and breathed out the stress that had built up over the past few minutes. "I'm really happy you came," she thanked Elsie as she returned to her normal cheeriness, "It's nice to have you over when I'm singing, and it really helps to keep me going!"

"Ah," Kanon felt Apollo relax from inside her, "I guess there really wasn't anything to worry about after all." The goddess laughed nervously, but Kanon could still feel the tension that gripped her. Just how scared was Apollo of this person?

Elsie, meanwhile, continued to fawn over her favorite idol, and being complimented only seemed to double the enthusiasm with which she thanked Kanon. "It's unfortunate that Chihiro and the others couldn't make it," Elsie continued to rant as she tried to restrain her excitement, "but I made a new friend and brought her along!" She gestured at the door, Kanon saw Lune silently watching with an unreadable expression.

"Oh, hello-" Kanon had barely greeted Lune when Apollo forcibly took control of the idol's body and leapt backwards.

"You!" Apollo cried out as she pointed at Lune, "What are you doing here?" With a frightening speed, she produced a bow and arrow out of light and pointed it directly at the demon's chest.

Elsie observed this exchange from the side. "Could it be..?" she asked Apollo with curiosity, "Do you know Lune-sama too?"

"Do I know her?" Apollo scoffed as she pulled her bow tighter, "This demon and I have _quite_ a history...don't we?"

Lune only shrugged despite having the full might of a heavenly attack pointed at her. "We've met a few times before," she explained lightly, "It wasn't anything _special_..."

Before Apollo could hesitate, Elsie suddenly gripped her hand and started tugging at her. "Wait," the goddess protested as her bow dissipated into thin air, "What are you doing?!" She fruitlessly tried wriggling free of the demon's grasp, but Elsie remained oblivious to the situation as she dragged the deity closer to her mortal enemy.

Elsie giggled cheerily as she embraced both Lune and Apollo in a tight hug. "Wow!" she proclaimed, "We're all friends after all! This must be fate!" She grinned innocently, unfazed by the uncomfortable squirming (albeit more violently from one side) from the two others she had captured.

Lune was at a total loss for how to react. She was already on edge by the time she got there, but Elsie had insisted on pulling her along to meet Kanon. Now, here was the perfect opportunity to avenge Old Hell and revive the chaos the Hell should've been… except for the fact that it all felt _wrong_.

Killing the goddess here, with no epic chase and no grand struggles, wouldn't be fun. There would likely be another chance at this, she reasoned with herself, so letting herself be pulled along by Elsie's whims wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to her. Instead, she took this as an opportunity to mess with the goddess, to _try for a change of pace_ , as she phrased it to herself. And indeed, there was no shortage of amusement in watching Apollo struggle to free herself from Elsie's hug. Lune had already resigned herself to her situation, as there was nothing that she could do to oppose Elsie's near-unpredictable whims. At the very least, there was no reason to do that at this moment.

They stood there for a moment, with Elsie cuddling a goddess and her assassin, until Okada peeped in through the open doorway of the dressing room. She smiled at the sight, then looked towards Apollo, nodding that it was time to leave.

"Sorry, Elsie-chan," Okada apologized, "but we have a tight schedule tonight."

Apollo gave one last glare at Lune as Elsie let them loose. "I'll deal with you some other time," she hissed before giving Kanon control of her body once more.

Kanon smiled apologetically and waved as she and her manager walked briskly out of her dressing room. "Bye, Elsie! I'll see you at school sometime this week!" she called out before she passed the doorway and turned the corner.

Elsie and Lune stood silently in the dressing room. Elsie stared back at the open doorway, still in awe from meeting her idol and friend. After a moment, she turned to Lune. "Shall we head back?" she asked with a gesture to the door.

* * *

"Phew!" Elsie stretched her arms out and took in the night wind as she and Lune walked down a quiet street, "That was a fun concert!"

Lune gave a silent nod of agreement, following closely with her lab coat fluttering behind her.

It was a perfect way to end the night, Lune thought, after a long and busy day. There was something satisfying in letting Elsie guide her through the day, some excitement in not knowing what waited around the next corner. Of course, she had that with her post in Vintage as well, but it was nice to finally roam around without much to hide.

She certainly wouldn't dare admit it to herself, but she definitely enjoyed being in the company of another friendly demon. How long it had been since the last time she had this luxury, Lune knew not, but she certainly cherished the feeling. If, someday, she had the chance to do something like this again, Lune would probably take it in a heartbeat.

"BANG!" Elsie shouted as she pointed a finger gun at the sky, dancing like the idol she admired so much. She skipped along the sidewalk, singing the third or fourth song that Kanon had performed at the concert.

Really, this demon had no regard for what others thought of her. The thought of this made Lune smile for some reason.

"Thank you, thank you!" Elsie grinned and bowed to an imaginary crowd, "Now here's my next song, 'All 4 You!'"

Lune simply followed along as Elsie danced along the sidewalk and sang another one of Kanon's songs by heart. This was definitely someone who would serve as Kanon's stand-in without skipping a beat, she thought. It definitely suited her.

After about a half-hour's walk, Elsie finally came to stop in front of a house and turned to face Lune.

"Well," Elsie smiled, it was fun to take you around today!"

Lune simply nodded.

"We should do this again one day!" Elsie insisted, "Promise me that you'll come back!"

Lune stared blankly as Elsie extended her pinky finger.

"This is…"

Elsie giggled at Lune's hesitation. "It's simple, really. Just make a promise that you'll swear to keep, and…" she took hold of Lune's hand and wrapped her finger around Lune's, "Shake it like this."

"Not really much of a choice there," Lune thought.

"It's a promise then!" Elsie beamed as she opened the gate to her house, "We'll see each other again sometime!" She gave a final wave and bid good night, then slid the front door open and disappeared inside.

"Nii-sama~!" Lune heard Elsie whine from inside, "Have you really been playing games this whole time?"

She stayed a moment longer, then turned to walk down the street as the night stretched on.

Lune would be back here for sure. She promised a friend, after all.

…

A friend, huh?

That had a nice ring to it.

Who knows, maybe something interesting will come out from this someday.

It had been a while, Lune thought, since the last time she looked forward to seeing someone again.

* * *

"Wait, seriously?" Apollo complained, "T-That's all? I tailed those two for nothing?" She cupped her hands and held them to her eyes like binoculars, observing Lune from a distant house's rooftop.

"Apollo…" a tired groan came from behind her, "If you… wanted action so badly, why didn't you bring someone else… like Mars?"

"Because, Mercury," Apollo tried explaining, "Mars would've made a big mess out of this and given me away, and our other sisters would probably overreact if I asked them to come."

"Wow…" Mercury commented with a yawn, "I didn't know you could think that far ahead… or think at all, for that matter…"

"H-hey!" Apollo waved her hands defensively, "I know I'm not smart, but I'm not _that_ stupid!"

"Who of us thought Kanon's hair was pink because she ate lots of strawberries?"

"S-shut up!" Apollo cried with a blush.

Mercury turned her attention back to their target. "I don't sense any malice from that demon," she commented, "Doesn't feel like... she's a real threat to us."

Apollo gave a resigned sigh."You sound just like Kanon. She told me to have some faith in Elsie's judgment or something."

"Zzz…" Mercury snored, curling up against Apollo for warmth against the night breeze. In the span of a few seconds, she had managed to fall asleep in the midst of Apollo's grumbling.

"Sheesh, Mercury," Apollo rolled her eyes, "You really are something…" She looked back towards Lune, and felt her throat run dry when the demon met her gaze. Shocked beyond words, the wiry goddess took a step back, slipping on the roof's sloped angle and sliding off onto the ground below.

The shock of Apollo's impact, followed by the hushed stream of curses and groans, woke Mercury from her brief nap. She sleepily peeked over the roof's peak, then down at her sister. "If you're wondering," Mercury mumbled sleepily as she watched Apollo rub her forehead, "that demon flew off somewhere else just now." She then looked back at Elsie's house as an observation came to mind.

"I didn't know that demon could make an expression like that…"

* * *

-End Chapter III

* * *

Log Dates: 11/7/18, 11/11/18, 11/12/18, 11/21/18, 12/9/18, 12/11/18, 11/5/19, **11/7/19**


End file.
